Haunting My Dreams
by silvergryphon06
Summary: She's a woman with a simple job, simple dreams, or so they used to be. When those dreams start causing some serious paranormal activity, she turns to the only man she can call. Warning! Lemony one-shot ahead, ye have been warned!


_**A/N: **_**Alrighty gang, I hope you all will enjoy this story, cuz I really enjoyed my self here (and am now slinking back to my corner to work on my other writing projects...honest!). This probably isn't one of my great masterpieces, but its sweet and fluffy and tingly fun, so yay! In case there is any confusion, this takes place after GB1 before GB2 :)**

**Please leave me some feedback, it's always immensely helpful! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!  
**

* * *

_Sunlight dappled the leaf-covered woodland floor, flickering brightly. The scent of decay, damp earth, and musk hung heavily in the air, filling the nose of the young woman who stood beneath a large birch tree. Her bare feet whispered over the cold ground, her hands twisting in the cream colored robe that draped over her slender frame. A quiet smile flitted over her features as she stepped lightly, her eyes roving over the serene landscape.  
_

_But as her toes brushed across a stray twig, the atmosphere shifted and she froze immediately, like a deer that sensed the wolf that lurked in the underbrush. She felt her heart begin to pound in her chest, though the blood that ran through her veins was thick and sluggish like falling snow.  
_

_The sunlight disappeared, a chill creeping in the wind. As her eyes fell on the leaves at her feet, she watched in dread as frost began to crackle over their brown surfaces.  
_

_That was when the sensation that something was coming at her, fast, slammed into her and broke her frozen state. Darting into the nearest thicket, she bolted through the thorns and sharp branches that tore into her flesh. She could feel the blood trickling down her cheek, her arms, her legs; knew that whatever was gaining on her could smell the metallic, sharp scent.  
_

_What terrified her the most, even more than when she looked over her shoulder and saw nothing, was that she never heard it, even when the horrifying pain ripped through her._

* * *

The young woman bounced up the stairs of the old Ghostbusters Headquarters, murmuring quietly beneath her breath. She had knocked several times, rang the little bell at the desk and had even yelled out, but no one had answered her summons. Perturbed, she had spotted the rickety looking set of stairs leading upwards. As she reached the second floor, the scent of cigarette smoke wafted past her nose. Tilting her head, she took a deep breath, noting that the smell came from the room towards the back. Waves of whiskey brown strands tumbled over her shoulder and she pushed them back, as if it were a long established habit.

"Hello?" she asked loudly, stepping around the dubious looking railing and peering towards the back room.

At first, she could only see a row of narrow beds. Her grey gaze flickered over the haphazard condition of the room she was standing in. Piles of used cartons, empty pizza boxes and beer bottles scattered across the vast space. Her boots echoed across the room as she moved forward, the hem of the long coat she held over her arm rustling against her dark denim jeans.

"Is anyone here?" she called out again, her slender hand coming to rest on the wooden doorjamb.

Still, there wasn't an answer, but the smoky scent was still lingering heavily in the air. She hesitated at the doorway, uncertain if she should further invade what was obviously someone's living quarters. Then the memories of the past three weeks surfaced and she bit her lip, glancing over her shoulder even though she knew nothing was there. Decision made, As she reached the back of the room, she noticed a large lump out of the corner of her eye, on the floor beside the bed to her right. A curl of smoke was drifting from the edge of a blanket as the fabric rose and fell evenly.

Her patience wearing thin, she reached down and jerked away the wool material and also seemingly jerking awake the occupant of that particular space of the floor. Bleary, dark hazel eyes looked up at her, startled, equally dark hair sticking up in what could have been highly comical if she hadn't been so preoccupied. What she did notice, almost as an afterthought, was how innocent his face appeared, an almost childlike expression, in a way; except for the lit cigarette that dangled limply from his lips as he just stared at her. She cleared her throat.

"You realize that's a rather dangerous inclination you've got there," she said with raised brows.

Realization dawned on his features as he hastily scrambled to his feet and stabbed the smoke stick onto a nearby nightstand before dropping it into a half-filled bottle of coke. She clasped her hands in front of her and looked down at her feet a moment as the man straightened himself a little. When she raised her eyes again, he was attempting to smooth the wrinkles in his shirt with one hand as the other ran through the thick mane of hair on his head. When he had stilled for a moment, she gave him a small, friendly smile.

"Now, since you're presentable," she told him in a polite tone, "Good morning, Dr. Stantz."

He returned her smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

"Ah, good morning, Lily!" Then his brow furrowed, "What brings you up here at this hour? Shouldn't you be on your way to the store?"

Her smile broadened into a grin.

"It's Sunday," she said simply, crossing her arms loosely.

When his frown deepened in confusion, she let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You close the store on Sundays, remember?"

"Oh, oh, right! Of course!"

She shook her head then tilted her head up at him, her eyes narrowed.

"You haven't been getting enough sleep again, have you?"

He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other under her piercing gaze, his hands finding themselves shoved into his pockets. When he didn't answer her, she let out another breath, this one a soft chuckle.

"You're going to work yourself into zombie-hood at this rate, you know," she scolded him gently.

He finally raised his eyes.

"Actually, that's an impossibility based on the poison required to create a zombie from a person who has been paralyzed-"

She held up both hands in a sign of surrender.

"I was teasing! Now, how about some coffee?"

He gave her a grateful look.

"That'd be amazing."

Nodding to him with a bright smile, Lily turned on her heel and strode into the kitchenette, grabbing the pot of coffee that had already brewed in the automatic maker. Shaking four packs of artificial sweetener, she ripped them open with her teeth as she poured the steaming black liquid into the last clean mug she picked up from the shelf. Dumping the crystals into the coffee, she stirred with a big spoon as she finally added a single container of cream.

By the time she had fixed the cup, Ray had changed shirts and combed his hair. He had donned a red flannel shirt, rolling up the sleeves as he approached her, though he still had a five o'clock shadow. Lily handed him the coffee, which he took from her with a pleased smile. Taking a sip, his expression changing from pleased to euphoric.

"Oh, great Ceaser's ghost, that's good!"

She perched herself on the edge of the counter, legs dangling over the side.

"Did I get it right?"

He nodded vigorously, pursing his lips to blow at the piping hot liquid. Lily tilted her head again.

"By the way, is there a specific reason why you were sleeping on the floor and not in your bed?"

The look he gave her was sheepish as faint color rose to his cheeks.

"I-uh, that is I-I missed the mattress when I came home last night, I think."

Lily's lips curved downwards. She hopped down from her seat on the counter-top, pointing her finger at him.

"As soon as that coffee wears off, you are going to bed, for a week, and if I have to sit by your side to make sure of it, I will," then her eye softened, "You can't keep going like this, Ray, it's nearly as unhealthy as those cigarettes you insist on smoking."

Ray nodded, his eyes on hers before he dropped his gaze.

"I know, but the research is so fascinating! Imagine, the answer to the afterlife could be right under our noses!"

When he drained his cup, she plucked it from his hand and placed it in the sink. Lily turned around, giving him the once over. He looked exhausted, his usually bright hazel eyes dull, his skin color pale, his face drawn. It made her gut tighten unpleasantly. And yet, it was still a face that was endearing to her.

She had been working for him for several years now, at his occult shop. Peter Venkman had actually recommended her for the job. They had been friends since kindergarten, when he had let her put a pink play-do helmet on his head and had worn it all day with a huge grin. The memory made her want to smile. The man had been a sucker for women even then.

Still, it was a good job and she enjoyed learning about all the things Ray sold. It was beneficial to him as well, since he gained more time for his research and a willing ear for his paranormal psychobabble. Lily had to admit that she had a slight addiction when it came to Ray. She loved to get him going, warming him to a topic and watching his face just light up. His enthusiasm was always infectious, his love for his field apparent and inspiring.

But, even more enjoyable to her, was how he forgot professional distance, often touching her hand or grasping her shoulder in his excitement as he explored ectoplasm's properties as a potential energy source or speculated on the endless possibilities of other dimensions. Even though the Ghostbusters were barred from busting spooks, they had kept the old firehouse and Ray and the others had been using it as a place to sleep.

Breaking from her mild reverie, she gave him a small smile.

"Let's go downstairs and see if we can't find something productive to do till the caffeine leaves your system," she suggested and he nodded, his hands once again in his pockets.

He gestured to her and she preceded him out of the bunk room and down the stairs. She turned and waited for him to join her at the foot of the staircase and he led her past the swinging door into the office area. Ray lit another cigarette as he propped himself on the corner of the desk and she leaned against a set of filing cabinets, running a finger over the top of it.

"Won't you sit?" He motioned to a chair but she shook her head.

"No, thank you. You know sitting down just means fidgeting for me, caffeine or no," she admitted and bit her lip before adding, "Ray...may I ask you a question?"

He took a deep drag of his cigarette, the smoke streaming from his nose as he gave her a curious look.

"Certainly, Lily, you can ask me anything you like."

She hesitated, however. Her dreams had been disturbing lately, replaying the same frightening scene over and over again, but were recurring nightmares really all that unusual? No, but the feeling when she woke up in the middle of the night, as if the thing physically manifested in her room, hovering in the shadows at the edge of her vision before the sensation evaporated, couldn't be normal, could it?

The questions swirled in her mind like a giant, confusing stew, but before she could reply, the sound of a slamming door boomed across the expanse of the room, making her jump. She looked over her shoulder and saw three men striding forward.

"Ray! Ray, you're never gonna guess what we- oh, hello there, Lils," there was a flirtatiousness to the man's tone when he addressed her that made her want to chuckle, but she resisted, "What brings you to this side of town? Shouldn't you be clerking for Ray down at the shop of hocus pocus?"

He was walking around and towards the desk as he asked the questions. She shook her head again, crossing her arms loosely beneath her breasts.

"Good morning Egon, Winston. I was just about to explain that to Dr. Stantz, Pete."

He scowled at her.

"Why is he Dr. Stantz and I'm just Pete? I've got two PhD's, you know."

He held up two fingers but she merely raised an eyebrow, crossing her long legs at the ankle.

"Because he's my boss , because he earned the respect, because it irritates you and because I haven't known him since we were four years old," then she shrugged, mischief dancing in her eyes, "Anything else I can do to stroke your male ego, Petey, my boy?"

Now he was just glaring at her, but Egon cut in before he could make a retort.

"I'm going to make a cursory check on the equipment downstairs. I'd rather avoid any of the unpleasant affects on the city if the incident three years ago were to repeat itself and I'd like to get a closer look at some of this data we collected. Winston, would you care to assist me?"

Winston gave her a friendly smile and a wink before he nodded to Egon, his hands resting on his hips. Egon nodded and they disappeared through a nearby side door. Venkman walked around the desk and flopped down into a chair, leaning back and propping his thick boots on the desk

"You'll never believe what we got, Ray. Not only a great recording of a fully developed apparation, but also some really serious readings on the P.K.E. According to Egon, the thing was giving off a reading of nearly 346!"

"Seriously? That's incredible!"

Lily watched them idly, only half listening, her mind occupied with other matters, when Venkman suddenly chuckled. She glanced up as he folded his arms behind his head with a smirk.

"So what brings you to see us, Ms. Sawyer? Phantom lover not performing up to par?"

Ray's head whipped around as he pinned the other man with a disapproving frown.

"That was unnecessary, Pete."

But Lily's lips were curved to match Venkman's smug expression as she propped her hip once again against the filing cabinet.

"No, actually, she's been more than pleasing since the full moon rose. You know ghost werewolves; those lagging tongues and bulging muscles were meant for something."

Ray was taking another drag of his cigarette when she spoke and he immediately choked, coughing violently. Venkman, for his part, just raised both his eyebrows, as if she was standing in a new light in his eyes.

"You'll have to give me her number," he murmured and she grinned, feeling a great deal of the tension that had been building in her shoulders release. It felt good to banter with someone. Perhaps she had needed that kind of human interaction more than she had been willing to admit.

When Ray had calmed down and extinguished the remains of his cigarette, Lily continued.

"I just came down to see if there was anything I could do to be helpful today. Volunteer work, that sort of thing."

"Don't you have a date or something with your furry girlfriend?"

Lily shook her head with a snort of laughter, straightening.

"Look, I've read everything in my apartment, I've cleaned it from floor to ceiling, and I don't have a television. I thought I could come down here and maybe help out by cleaning this third pit of hell you call home."

As she spoke, she moved to the desk, poking Pete in the side and making him move. She bent down and retrieved a feather duster from a drawer. Slamming it shut, she proceeded to retreat back to the cabinet, beginning to brush away the collected dust.

"I never saw you as the domestic type, Lils," Venkman jabbed as he stretched and rose, "But I guess there's a first time for everything," he patted her rump as he passed, dodging her infuriated swipe at his head, "Speaking of firsts, when are you gonna give up that fanged female for a wolf with a bit of oomph?"

He was down the stairs before the glass vase could shatter against the dark wooden post. Lily drug her fingers through her mane with a subdued growl.

"I should know better than to make a joke around him. He always has to push it to the ends of tolerance."

Ray chuckled behind her, stubbing out his cigarette in an ashtray.

"I agree."

Mildly surprised, she turned to regard him and he grinned at her, shrugging.

"Well, you're right. Can't argue with a lady when she's right about something."

That was when she noticed his shaking hands. In two strides, she was directly in front of him, the duster tucked under one arm and one of his hands was grasped in both of hers.

"Ray, you're trembling like a leaf!"

* * *

As her hands touched his, a familiar spark of heat zinged through him, making his cheeks flush a little pink. It was always like this with Lily, though he tried his best to hide it.

The first time it had happened, he had almost jumped out of his skin. They had been shelving volumes in the wiccan and pagan section, he on the ladder and she handing the books up to him. As Lily had struggled to lift a particularly heavy tome, he had reached down and grabbed it to help her, his fingers covering hers slightly. But as soon as they had made contact, something sizzled through his skin, a warmth that tingled like mad where his fingertips had brushed her knuckles, nearly causing him to let go of the book. His eyes had met her grey ones and he had been struck by the notion that he could get lost in those eyes, drown in them like the clear water they resembled.

Then the front door bell had tinkled and the spell had been broken.

Ray was jerked back to the present when he realized that she had asked him a question.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lily, I-I was contemplating something. What did you say?"

She smiled at him, her fingers curling over his palm.

"I said, I thought smoking was supposed to relax you," she squeezed his shaking hand for emphasis.

He chuckled, lifting his free hand to pat hers.

"I'm fine, Lily, just really, really need to sleep."

She nodded, but something flashed across her features that caused a series of clicks to go off in his head, which he tilted at her.

"I'm not the only one who isn't getting enough sleep."

Her gaze dropped from his, her bottom lip disappearing between her teeth, a motion that he found somewhat distracting.

"I'm-I'm having some really strange dreams," she said finally, then added, "Well, the same one actually."

She stepped back from him, one hip cocked as her arms recrossed themselves. He frowned, his fingers linking together in front of him.

"A night terror?"

She nodded.

"Yeah. It starts out fine, but then I get the feeling that something is coming for me, something bad and I start to run. Only, I never get away fast enough and it...but-but then I wake up in a cold sweat and there's...," she trailed off for a moment before letting out a small laugh, "you know, now that I say it out loud, it really sounds silly, but...I feel like something is watching me. Then it just-vanishes, I guess," she rubbed the back of her neck as she spoke.

Ray rubbed at his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, you do live right above the store and there are a number of paranormal items stored on the premises. Have you checked to see if anything has become unsecured in some way?"

"I've walked that store wall to wall and I can't find anything."

"And you never see what's chasing you in your dream? Or what you feel could be watching you?"

She shook her head.

"No, but I know that I don't really want to," she blew out a breath, "Whatever the hell it is, its terribad."

He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Terribad?"

Lily looked somewhat embarrassed.

"Yeah, terribly bad...it's a word I made up, alright? And its perfectly applicable!"

His lips curved at her defensiveness, but apparently his amusement only irked her because she scowled at him.

"It isn't funny, Ray!"

Her tone only made his smile widen into a grin, but he held his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"I know, I know it's not," he stood up, schooling his features, and placed his hands on her shoulders in an attempt to soothe her, "Would it make you feel better if we ran some tests, maybe come by the apartment later today and did a sweep?"

She gave him a grateful look.

"I would really appreciate that."

Ray gave her his most reassuring smile, pleased to see some of the negative emotions he had observed swirling in her eyes beginning to bleed away.

"I think it's the least we can do for my favorite employee," he joked lightly and she laughed softly.

"Right, right...you just want to keep your favorite employee happy so that she'll keep making you coffee."

Then her smile faded. She reached up and patted his hand.

"Go get some sleep, Ray. I'll do some tidying up," her expression was then mischievous, "and see if I can't get Pete into some trouble before they day's over."

* * *

Several hours later, Lily unlocked the door to her small apartment above _Ray's Occult,_ three of the Ghostbusters right behind her as she opened the door wide. Passing through, she pulled back the curtains that covered one of the windows in her little studio apartment, revealing the orange light of the setting sun. It had been part of the arrangement made between Ray and herself, living in the upstairs apartment. It kept a roof over her head and someone close to the store in case a person was needed. Thankfully, there hadn't any break-ins or accidents; well, except that one time that a spook had escaped from its literary confinement.

She had grabbed a jar from one of the shelves labeled 'Spirit Containment' and had scooped up the phantom before it could do too much damage. Later, when she had shown Ray the glass with green and blue mists swimming inside it, his eyes had lit up like a Christmas tree. He had lifted it from her grasp with a huge grin.

"You've figured it out, Lily! I've been trying to get that spirit out of its book for weeks! This is the perfect containment field for it! You're a genius!"

And then he had swept her up in a hug, spinning her around in his exuberance and she had felt his body practically vibrating with excitement. When he had set her down, Lily felt like lava had flooded to her cheeks, so she had quickly ducked her head with a muttered 'your welcome' and had fled to the sanctuary of the back room, claiming a need to organize the stored merchandise.

Now, as she picked up her grey tabby cat, Tobias, and cuddled him to her chest, she attempted to dismiss the memory. She wasn't a moonstruck teenager and the present was not the time to be strolling through reminiscences that held little bearing on the current situation. Instead, she allowed the feline to climb up and curl around her neck and out of the way. His gold eyes regarded the other males in the room with a mixture of mild curiosity and disdain. Peter leaned close to her shoulder, matching the cat stare for stare.

"You know, I was staring champion of my class in third grade, tubby, I can do this all night."

"And he'll still beat you before midnight," Lily replied, batting away Venkman's invasive presence and striding across the room where Egon and Ray were setting up some surveillance equipment.

"You guys aren't going to get in trouble for this, are you?"

Egon shrugged.

"It's possible, but only if we attempt any removals from the premises with our traps or proton packs."

Lily blinked.

"And you didn't bring those, right?"

Both men paused, glancing at one another and Lily groaned, rubbing her hand across her eyes.

"Oh, Christ, you did...ok, boys," she clapped her hands, then placed them on her hips, "Pack it up. There is no way I'm going to cause you four to be arrested again!"

She strode to the door and held it open.

"Out!"

They hesitated until Ray moved towards her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"What if we promise no proton packs, no traps, no capturing? We just investigate and maybe give you a good night's sleep in the process?"

Lily looked up into his kind hazel eyes, chewing on her bottom lip. Tobias nuzzled Ray's hand, purring against the back of her neck. She let out a breath.

"Alright. Tobias trusts you, so I guess I can too. But I have your word?"

He lifted his hand and put the other over his heart.

"Promise."

Then she smiled and nodded, closing the door as Ray picked up a small device that blipped and whirled quietly. Lily leaned back against the door, deciding to just watch them work. Her slender fingers kneaded the fur of Tobia's neck.

"Feeling out of your league with all this sciency stuff too, huh, baby?" she cooed quietly.

The cat merely purred a response, his head bumping into her fingertips, demanding a scratch behind his ears. Egon and Ray were muttering to themselves as Peter poked around the set of drawers that stood by her bed. Lily lifted her voice.

"There's no demons in my panty drawer, Petey!"

He straightened, closing the drawer without even a blush, though Ray's cheeks tinged a bit pink as his eyes darted between the two before returning to the machine in his hands.

"How surprising!" Venkman rejoined, his lips curved into a smirk, "Nary a single hair on those silky garments. Your werewolf must be immaculate."

Lily stood up from the door, gently removing Tobias from her neck and letting him curl up on the little windowsill, not bothering to reply to Peter's jibe. Instead, she wove her way around the furniture of her living area and peered around Ray's shoulder as the meter in his hands made a loud screech of sound.

"What does that mean?"

Ray didn't answer, just let out a small 'hmmm'. He half-turned towards her.

"Hold still for a minute, Lily. The P.K.E. meter seems to be getting a strong reading off of you...interesting. "

Tilting her head, but otherwise obeying his request, she watched him curiously as he held the device towards her, slowly circling her. More beeps filled the room, coming faster the closer Ray moved it to her head.

"Powerful psychic waves. Egon, come look at this," he pointed to the tiny square of glass that protected the needle, "819 on the meter, wow! Lily?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind having a seat over there, please? Peter, take this and run it over Lily's pillows. I'm starting to form a hypothesis."

Twisting her fingers together, Lily forced the questions that brewed in her mind to quiet for now. They would explain it to her in time, she just needed to be patient with them. So, she sat down in her big, ploofy armchair as Egon wheeled over a big, white square machine with a black screen and began disentangling a mass of wires. As he separated each one, he handed the end to Ray. Sticking white round things to both of her temples, he then attached the wires.

When his fingers delicately brushed back her hair to place a third close to her ear, Lily had to suppress a shiver. Dammit, why did him touching her always do that? This crush was getting to be a real pain, she thought grumpily, and it was not going to get her anywhere. Ray was completely dedicated to his work, his science, his love of the paranormal.

Egon turned on the machine and Ray shifted the stacks of books on her small coffee table and perched himself on the end, his hands clasped between his knees and elbows resting on his thighs. He leaned forward in order to look into her face.

"Now, I'm going to give you some very simple instructions, but I want you to trust me, alright?"

Lily looked at him with wide eyes as Peter finished his sweep, bringing the small device over to Egon, who studied the numbers on the screen with an intrigued expression.

"High levels of psycho-transferent remnants," he murmured, raising his brown eyes to look at Ray, "Were you expecting that, Ray?"

The other man nodded, then turned his attention back to Lily, who was twisting her fingers around in her lap nervously.

"Trust me?"

More than anyone else in the world, she admitted silently. Taking a deep breath, she nodded, and Egon began to fiddle with the two dials at the side of the machine's screen, then flipped a switch.

"Alright, Lily, close your eyes."

She hesitated for a moment, then obeyed, letting her eyelids shut.

"Now, take another breath. Good girl. Ok, I want you to think about the dream you've been having. Concentrate on the fear you've experienced, the feeling of being watched."

Lily shook her head, opening her eyes again.

"Don't-don't make me do that, Ray. I don't think I can take that, even in the daytime."

She was pleading with him, her knuckles whitening as she gripped her hands together tightly. Something flashed in his eyes as he gently pried her palms apart and held them both between his, his hands warm and a little rough. He looked her right in the eye.

"You can do this, Lily. Trust us, we won't let anything happen. Now, c'mon, you said you trusted me."

Her lower lip disappeared between her teeth as she fought with herself, her grey eyes downcast. Finally, she looked up and gave him a tiny smile.

"Ok," she said simply and closed her eyes again.

* * *

There was nothing but blackness for a long moment.

"Alright, focus, Lily. Can you see anything in your mind's eye?"

Lily concentrated hard, her eyelids fluttering as she tried to think. The dream was crystal clear to her memory and yet it the images were elusive, fleeting glimpses of browns and greens that she couldn't quite pin down. But the fear, the sensation of being hunted and unable to escape; that feeling she could bring to the fore with frightening clarity.

"No," she answered after several heartbeats, her voice soft, "but I'm afraid...I feel very afraid."

"What's so scary in there? Talk to me, Lily."

She frowned, her brows pulling together as she tried to focus.

"I-I don't know. It's big and dark-looking, but that's really all I can-oh!"

That was when a chill erupted over her skin, goosebumps rising in its wake.

"Egon, look at her skin," Ray said quietly, the sound of his voice soothing, though his words made her uneasy, "What's going on on the monitor?"

"She's being honest. There's also a large spike in the speed of her neural oscillations."

Lily felt something brush against the back of her neck and she couldn't help but turn around, eyes desperately searching the back corner of the apartment for the source of the touch, her heart pounding. Tobias let out a low growl, his fur standing on end. With a hiss, he bolted beneath the couch.

"Pete," Ray looked over at Venkman, who nodded silently.

The machine at her elbow was making a series of loud, strange noises and when she turned around, she could see lines of white static breaking over the display, crackling through the tiny speaker before it made a 'bzzt' noise and went black.

"Ray, this thing-the-the P.K.E. reader is going berserk."

Lily twisted around in the chair to look, tearing off the patches attached to her face and head impatiently. She stood up and marched towards Venkman, watching in confusion as the needle bounced around the display, flickering back and forth like a deranged butterfly.

That was when she lost her patience, spinning around and throwing her hands in the air.

"Dammit, guys, what does it mean?"

When no one answered her right away, she let out a growl of frustration and started to storm towards the kitchen area, determined that if she couldn't have answers, she could damn well have a shot of whiskey to calm her nerves.

Then all hell broke loose.

As soon as she opened her cupboard above the sink, glasses came flying out from the shelves and she ducked just in time, glass exploding behind her. Dread filled her as she covered her head, tucking herself into as tiny a ball as possible on the linoleum floor. Cabinets burst open, crockery and utensils levitating before hurtling through the air to break into pieces against the walls. The lights flickered on and off rapidly, blinking like a strobe light as drawers, doors, and windows opened and slammed shut in rapid succession. Something must have cut her, she thought idly, because there was a sharp sting on the exposed skin of her neck.

And just as suddenly as it started, it stopped.

Lily dared to open her eyes, lowering her arms a fraction, her breathing ragged and hard, and immediately regretted peeking. As she slowly let her arms fall, hanging limply at her sides, her lips parted, but no sound came out.

Books. Books were floating in a semi-circle around her, their back covers to her and their front covers facing outwards as she huddled against the sink. If she hadn't been in such a state of absolute shock, she might had laughed at how much they resembled the circled wagons from some of her favorite westerns.

"Talk about confirming a theory," she heard Ray's voice coming from somewhere close by and she turned her head to look at him as he crouched where her cheap, shag carpet met the fake tile.

"Wh-wha," she had a hard time speaking, shock and disbelief making it difficult to force the words past her dry lips, "What's going on? Is Toby ok?"

Egon and Pete approached her too, and Venkman tilted his head at her.

"Lils? Lils,the cat's fine, he's till under the couch. More importantly, are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, I-I'm ok," she stammered hoarsely, her eyes darting between the three men, Ray and Egon looking fascinated while Peter just looked somewhat concerned.

Egon's deep voice caught her attention.

"Lily, would you mind setting the books down, please? If we try to get close to you, I suspect they might attack."

Her brow furrowed as her breathing began to even out, her heartbeat slowing to a more normal rate. Lily's mind was racing, faster than she could put the thoughts together.

"I-what?"

Ray spoke up, obviously excited.

"A physical manifestation of mental and emotional trauma! Ha! Marvelous! Lily, you truly are a wonder. I never would have even speculated that you had this kind of ability!"

Her grey eyes narrowed, irritation and a simmering, fraying of her temper driving back any fear that had kept her frozen in place.

Without warning the books dropped to the floor with a crash, but she paid them no mind.

"Would someone please tell me what the hell he's talking about?"

Venkman just shrugged, but Egon was holding out the meter again, creeping closer to her to get a better reading, or so she would have guessed.

"You've got a poltergeist, Lily," Egon explained to her, his deep brown eyes intently focused on the meter, "It's your emotional and mental stress entering the physical realm. Your body is defending itself by projecting these negative feelings outside of you."

Venkman gave a low whistle, then grinned.

"Our little Lils has psychic abilities? Who would've guessed? No wonder you're attracting lesbian shape shifters."

Lily glared up at him as she gingerly pulled herself upright. Glass crunched under her boots as she found her balance. Something wet dripped down the collar of her shirt and she lifted her hand, her fingers lightly colored crimson when she held them back out with a wince.

"Well, if I'm doing this, I must be pretty pissed at myself."

Ray must've spotted her fingers because he leaped to his feet, his hand grabbing hers as the other one cupped her chin to turn her head.

"Oh, Lily, you got cut! Here-"

He whipped his head around, his hazel gaze seeking out and finding a dish towel. Carefully, he shook it out, making sure there were no glass or ceramic fragments. Ray reached past her as Egon shifted around their legs, still trying to gather data. He turned on the tap, running some warm water over the fabric.

Ray gently pushed back the whiskey colored waves of her hair and dabbed at the cut.

"Do you have any alcohol or peroxide?"

Lily jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

"Second shelf."

His chest brushed hers as he reached up and pulled down the only glass that hadn't broken during the psychic episode (she was still trying to wrap her mind around that). Lily caught the scent of his cologne, pleasant and masculine, as his arm went past her nose and she tried not to notice it too much.

"Cotton balls? Band aids?"

Lily bent her head and pulled out the nearest drawer, digging around and pulling out a small bag and a box. Egon finally straightened, shutting down the P.K.E.

"Ray, I think we have sufficient data. I suggest that we begin packing away the equipment and returning for further analysis."

Ray shook his head.

"You guys go ahead, Lily needs some attending to. Luckily, you don't need stitches or anything. I suppose that since the energy is yours, its not really wanting to harm you, just feed off your negative emotions, like fear and anxiety."

He grasped her hand and lifted it to hold back her hair as he spoke and she complied. As he poured the pungent medical liquid onto the towel, the other two men put away the machines and devices into the specially designed cases. Lily let out a yelp as a cold stinging assaulted her neck.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry! Sorry, but it's necessary first aid."

"At least you noticed that, Ray," she muttered under her breath, scowling fiercely as he secured the band aid against her skin. His fingertips made a shiver want to chase down her spine, but she held it back. God, she was going to need a really cold shower tonight.

He frowned at her as he stepped back to look in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

His eyes attempted to search hers, but she refused to look at him, shifting away from the warmth of his body so close to hers. Instead, she strode towards Venkman.

"Need any help Pete?"

He hefted up two large carrying cases.

"I think I've got it, thanks."

She rubbed the back of her neck then crossed her arms loosely and then just let them drop down again. She turned to Egon as Ray's eyes bored into her back, but she ignored it, scooping up Tobias in her arms in an attempt to soothe herself.

"Egon, can you explain to me, simply, what you guys mean by psychic abilities and poltergeists?"

The tall man efficiently wrapped cords, tying them together in neat coils.

"It's as I said, Lily. You are experiencing some great emotional and mental stress. Your body is attempting to protect you by making these feelings into physical events that you may more easily handle. Based on my own observations and the raw data we just collected, I'd hypothesize that it awakened some kind of latent psychic telekinetic abilities, possibly hidden in your genetic code."

Lily blinked, processing the information as best she could, her fingers combing through the tabby's fur.

"Shit," she swore softly, lifting her hand and running it through her hair.

Egon gave her a reassuring glance.

"Don't worry, once you face the cause of your trauma, the phenomena should end, though you may have to learn to cope with any psychic side effects."

Lily lifted her brows, hugging herself.

"What side effects?"

The scientist shrugged.

"Dreams, telekinesis, potential telepathy, clairvoyance, energy sensing or manipulation...it's too early to tell just yet."

"Well that makes me feel so much better," she commented sarcastically, then shook her head, patting Egon on the arm.

"Sorry. Thanks for all your help."

He nodded, then lifted a large case with a grunt. Stepping out of his way, Lily moved back towards the kitchen, moving past Ray, who was still looking at her with a strange expression. Gently, she set her cat down on the portion of the counter that was clear of any debris and he jumped down to the bed, immediately curling up with a disgruntled look. She grabbed her broom and dustpan.

What a wonderful mess this all was.

* * *

A hand on her shoulder stopped her and she glanced back.

"Sleep downstairs tonight on the cot in the back room. This room has probably still got some negative energy floating around and it'll keep you from getting a good night's sleep. You can clean up tomorrow."

Letting out a breath, she nodded.

"Alright, let me get some things together."

Ray nodded and she gestured.

"Why don't you go with them and see what you can figure out from all those readings you got this evening? I'm fine."

He gave her a skeptical look.

"Obviously not if you've generated a poltergeist."

Lily glared at him, but didn't reply. Instead, she just shrugged and walked to her bureau, grabbing a small bag. In it, she stuffed some minor toiletries, a long loose t-shirt, and a fresh pair of panties.

"I'll just shower in the stall downstairs in the morning and get Pete to help me clean up tomorrow," she muttered, "I don't really care to be up here by myself until all this spook crap quits."

"It won't until you own up to what's bothering you," a voice spoke from behind her and she frowned again.

"Nothing's bothering me at the moment," she lied smoothly, zipping up the bag.

She turned on her heel, gripping the handles and marching towards the door, glass cracking under her boots. Lily held the door open and jerked her head.

"Come on, Ray. I'm sure Pete and Egon are waiting for you."

Ray was still looking at her strangely, but now his gaze hardened, becoming almost stern, an expression that was alien to her. She saw his fists clench at his sides and he swept past her, down the narrow staircase. For some reason, it made her feel even more uneasy and irritated. Grumbling, she released her hold on the door to her little apartment and left it open for Tobias to wander freely, certain he wouldn't be getting into any mischief that night, and shoving the key into her pocket.

When she got to the bottom of the stairs, she headed straight back towards the storage room and tossed her bag onto the narrow cot that was kept for when Ray worked too late to go back to the old firehouse. Then she ripped off her t-shirt and shimmed out of her jeans, toeing off her boots as she went. Pulling the fresh, clean shirt over her head, she let out a sigh as the soft material settled down to her knees. She knew what was troubling her, she just wasn't willing to admit it. To admit it would mean having to face an impossibility.

And Ray Stantz having feelings for her was an impossibility.

Christ, what was happening to her? Sure, she had felt an attraction to the man for a while now, but was it powerful enough to create that kind of psychic turbulence? Had she really allowed herself to fall that far? Lily derailed that line of thought almost as soon as it started. If she kept this up, there was no telling what was going to start happening. She doubted that she wanted anything from the store breaking open and letting loose an even more nasty spirit than the last one.

She pulled her hair out from the collar of the shirt and gathered her discarded clothes. Folding and putting them on top of a nearby stack of books, she then padded out toward the store front. The doors and windows needed to be locked tight before she went to sleep.

Her thoughts had her full attention as she moved on auto-pilot, easily navigating the cluttered, dimly lit store towards the front door. The thick oriental carpets that covered the hard, wooden floors were soft beneath her feet, but they did little to muffle the creaking of the ancient boards.

When she reached the door, she was surprised to find it already locked tight. Ray must have locked it when he left, she thought, rattling the bolt to keep herself in the habit. Satisfied, she checked the large windows, then turned on her heel.

She went back past the counter, nearly jumping out of her skin, a scream building in her throat when something grabbed her hand from over the glass-top.

"Shh, hey, hey, Lily, it's alright! It's alright, it's me, Ray!"

Her heart felt like it was going to pop right out of her chest as she sagged, adrenaline shooting through her veins and making her jittery. Then she punched him in the arm with her free hand.

"You ass! You almost scared me to death! Where the hell did you come from?"

He winced, letting go of her hand and rubbing his sore arm. He was looking over his shoulder at the yellowed EXIT sign near the corner of the store front and gestured, coming around the counter to stand near her. He still wasn't looking at her.

"I-I was locking the back door. I didn't think it was a good idea for you to sleep here alone tonight, so I thought I'd stay and..." his voice trailed off as he stared down at his boots, scuffing them against the rug.

"Well, its your store, so if you want to stay, that's your business, but where are you-" she began.

"What's really bothering you, Lily?" his question cut her off, his glance sharpening as he lifted his gaze to stare directly into her eyes.

Lily was taken aback. He never questioned her when she had told him something. He always took her at her word. Her grey eyes narrowed.

"I told you it was nothing, Ray. Now, I'm going to sleep. Good night."

She went to move past him, but his hand on her arm stopped her. His words were quiet, but they were like a knife twisting in her chest.

"Lily, why are you lying to me now? You've always trusted me, so what's so awful that you can't even talk to me about it?"

Lily couldn't look at him, her teeth gnawing at her bottom lip. She remained silent for several heartbeats, the tension between them thick and heavy.

"It's something that I have to come to terms with on my own. It's a no-win situation," she responded finally, half-turning towards him with a blank expression, her voice flat.

He shook his head, gently tugging on her hand until she faced him fully. Ray lifted his other hand to tip her chin up so that she was forced to look him in the eyes.

"That's not an answer, Lily. I'm worried about you."

"It's the only one I've got, Ray," she snapped back, frustration and stress fraying her temper, making her words harsher than she had intended.

"I-I'm sorry," she said softly, "I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"Then what did you mean?" he pressed, but before she could answer, he seemed to notice her clothing.

His gaze roved over her, his eyes wide as he suddenly swallowed hard, releasing her arm like her skin had scalded him.

"Li-Lily, wha-what are you wearing?" he stammered and she looked at him in puzzlement.

"Um, it's a t-shirt, Ray."

She crossed her arms, the fabric tightening across her chest at the movement, but she didn't notice the flush that was staining his cheeks.

"Yeah, I-I know that, bu-but why are you just wearing that?"

Lily lifted her shoulder in a shrug, baffled.

"It's what I wear to sleep in. Did you think I wore my jeans to bed?"

When he didn't say anything else, his eyes tracing the curve of her bare legs, she shifted her weight and stepped closer to him.

"Uh, Ray? Ray?"

His breathing had changed and his eyes snapped up to hers, something she couldn't identify flashing through the hooded hazel orbs. Lily's heart rate sped up for the millionth time that day, although this time it was for a completely different reason.

"Lily," he said thickly, his voice sounding somewhat strained, "I-I think it would be a good idea if we both went to sleep now."

"Why?" she asked, noting that his eyes were intently watching her lips form the word.

"You-you've had a long day and-"

"Ray?" she interrupted quietly, her hands coming up to rest against the flannel shirt that covered his chest to silence him, "Do you really want to know what's bothering me?"

She was so tired of squashing down how she felt, denying what she wanted. Egon had said if she faced what was causing her to feel so much fear and anxiety, the nightmares and the paranormal strangeness would end. Lily decided then and there to take a gamble.

Ray nodded slowly and Lily rose to her tiptoes, her cheek brushing his as she brought her lips close to his ear.

"You."

And before he could say a word, she pulled back, slid her hands up to his shoulders and pressed her lips to his.

His lips were warm, soft against her mouth, the spark that skittered through her blood at the contact causing her stomach to erupt into butterflies and her heart to skip a beat. Lily broke away to take a sip of air, then kissed him again, softly. Again and again, she repeated the motion, small, sweet, almost chaste kisses, hoping, praying, for a response other than this statue stillness.

Finally, with her heart sinking, she dropped down from her toes and lifted her hands from his shoulders. He had a stunned expression, his eyes dilated, unfocused and dazed. Sighing, she bit her lip and took a step back.

"Good-good night, Ray," she murmured, her eyes downcast and she turned to retreat to the safety of the back room.

She never saw him move.

Ray's hand whipped out a grabbed hers as she turned, spinning her back towards him and his arms encircled her waist, pulling her flush against his body. Before she could protest, his mouth crushed down onto hers.

There was no spark this time. This was pure, undiluted heat. His lips devoured hers, one of his hands sliding up her spine to cradle the back of her head as she returned his kiss with equal fervor. Her arms wrapped around his neck, trying to pull him closer as she nibbled at his lower lip lightly with her teeth. The action made him groan, his fingers flexing into the curve of her hip and making her gasp. He took advantage of her parted lips, sweeping his tongue into the honeyed cavern of her mouth.

She made a tiny, mewling sound and his grip on her tightened as she met his tongue with hers, boldly sucking on it, making him groan again. He retreated from her mouth to take a breath of air and she followed, sealing their lips again in another searing melding of mouths. As her fingers played at the thick, dark hair at the nape of his neck, his hand at her hip began to knead gently, smoothing its way around to firmly squeeze her rear.

She made a startled sound and it seemed to jerk him out of whatever desire-filled haze he had fallen under. His hands moved to her shoulders to set her somewhat away from him suddenly, his face beet red.

"Oh, Li-Lily, I'm so sorry! I-I don't know what came over m-"

She fisted her hand in his hair and jerked him back down to her lips, giving him a hard and fierce kiss.

"Shut up, Ray," she growled up at him, the look in her eyes apparently enough for him to agree.

He didn't say anything else, a low rumbling coming from his chest as he bent her back and covered her mouth with his again. Her hands roved from his hair, down his shoulders, seeking and finally finding the buttons of his flannel shirt as he tore his lips from hers to nip along her jaw. As she fumbled with the confounded buttons that made a tantalizing line down his body towards the waistline of his trousers, Ray pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses to the side of her neck, his tongue flicking out to taste the soft skin and making her head tip back.

"Oh, God, Ray."

Irked by the stubbornness of his shirt, she began to tug at the hem, pulling it free from where he had it tucked into his pants. Lily felt him hiss out a breath as her fingertips skimmed the bare flesh of his torso beneath the fabric, causing her lips to curve into a wickedly pleased smile. She ran her nails lightly across the flesh of his stomach, angling her head to capture his earlobe gently between her teeth simultaneously.

"Sweet specters, Lily!"

Her chuckle of amusement turned into another soft gasp when his large hand slid down the material that covered her waist, her thigh, down to her knee and lifting it to wrap around his narrow hip. Then his wandering palm was gliding along the smooth skin of her leg, pushing the hem of her night shirt higher up her thigh until his fingers caressed the rounded flesh of her rear again. His mouth had found hers again, their tongues warring for dominance of the kiss when she unexpectedly made a wiggling, hopping motion, wrapping her other leg around him.

His hands immediately cupped her butt, holding her up as her arms wrapped around his shoulders to keep her balance. With a nimbleness she never suspected of herself, she rocked her hips, feeling the bulge in the front of his pants press intimately against the sweetly aching heat of her center. The contact made them both moan and the thought dazedly crossed Lily's mind that she was never going to get enough of this.

She undulated her hips again, a spear of heat lancing through her, making her head spin. Ray turned them swiftly and Lily dimly felt the edge of the counter digging into her bottom. He leaned in against her, anchoring her in place and freeing his hands to roam as they pleased. No longer overly concerned with not falling, she managed to undo the last of the buttons of his shirt, sliding her hands up his chest sensuously to push the material from his shoulders. His hands were busily slipping under her night shirt, whispering over the flesh of her abdomen, curving around her torso, pressing them closer together as his lips assaulted hers again and again.

Lily shifted against him when his fingers found the clasp to her bra and he broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against hers, panting.

"If you keep that up, you vixen, this isn't going to make it to the bedroom."

Smiling up into his eyes sweetly, she ran her hands down his chest, making him shudder, then groan as her fingers wedged between their tightly molded bodies to cup him through the cloth confines of his pants. Deviously, she ran her thumbnail over the length of him, making his hips buck against her hand helplessly.

"Now why is that a concern?"

Something in him must have snapped, because with a flick of his finger, he had undone her soft, cotton, upper undergarment and jerked her shirt over her head. Then he hoisted her up, bring his knee up under her bum to help him balance her weight and perch her on the counter. His mouth dove to the revealed globes of her breasts, licking a hot, wet trail over one's slope and sending damp heat straight to her core. When he captured one candy pink bud between his lips and suckled, Lily swore she saw lights flash.

Her hands braced behind her, to keep herself upright as he switched his attentions to the other nipple, one of his hands to roll the recently abandoned one between his thumb and forefinger. Her hips jerked when she felt his free hand slid up the soft flesh of her inner thigh, his knuckles sliding up the damp folds that were hidden just behind the thin fabric of her panties.

"No fair," she whined breathlessly as his hands wreaked havoc across her body.

His lips moved upwards, nibbling along the flesh of her collarbone until he met her lips again, giving her a long, deep kiss.

"Yes fair," he muttered against her mouth.

Wriggling and pressing her hands against his shoulders, she made him give her the room to jump down lightly from the counter top. Taking his hand, she gave him a small smile, backing up slowly and winding her other arm around his neck. Lily pulled him down for another kiss, leading him back towards the storage room. Ray broke away from her lips suddenly.

"Protection?" he asked huskily, his hands everywhere, still unwilling to stop roving over her exposed skin.

"Pill," she muttered, nipping at the skin of his throat and then soothing it with a soft swipe of her tongue.

There was little use for words after that as her hands snaked back down to the front of his pants, making swift work of the belt buckle and zipper. Teasingly, as she felt her bare feet touching hard wood instead of plush carpet, Lily dipped her fingers beneath the waistband of his briefs. She was distracting him with her lips as she ran her nails lightly just around the straining length that pressed insistently against her belly.

Ray hissed out a breath, grabbing her hands and pulling them up to drape them over his shoulders, sipping at her lower lip. The back of her knees hit the edge of the cot and she rubbed her upper body against his, softly moaning at the sensation of his lightly furred chest teasing the tips of her breasts. They parted for air and Lily inched back onto the sheets, watching with rapt, hungry attention as he hooked his thumbs into the belt loops of his pants, shucking them and his briefs quickly and toeing out of his shoes and socks.

Then he was crawling over her body, his head dipping to press tongue-flicked kisses against her skin. When he reached the hollow of her hip, he paused, his hands sliding up her long legs to slip his thumbs beneath the fabric that hugged her waist, bringing her panties down, then tossing them over the edge of the little bed carelessly. As his eyes landed on the triangle of curls at the juncture of her thighs, he let out a shaky breath and Lily could see the tension in his body building.

She shifted her legs, opening before him like the blossoming of her namesake and the heat that had lighted in his eyes earlier returned with a vengeance. Her eyes blinked and he was over her, his desire nudging the inside of her thigh as his lips found hers again. He murmured something against her lips, words that made her heart both flutter and stop, her blood to race and freeze.

"I love you."

Speechless for a moment, she just stared up into his adoring eyes, before she swallowed hard with a quiet smile and leaned close to his ear, whispering her reply against the delicate shell. A happy, almost goofy, endearing grin spread across his lips and she bucked her hips up against his, her body begging for a release.

Ray reached a hand down and guided himself towards her center, sheathing his length inside her in a single, swift stroke. She was tight, unbelievably tight from years of abstinence, and he gritted his teeth, his body's need fighting his will to keep still, to allow her to adjust to him.

Then she was peppering his jaw, his cheeks, with featherlight brushes of her lips and he pulled back, bracing his weight above her on his forearms. He thrust back into her, slowly, pushing inch by inch until he was once more buried to the hilt with a low groan. Her slick folds engulfed him in their heat as he pulled back again, his strokes becoming more sure with each passing moment. His mouth trailed down the curve of her jaw as he began to move in earnest, words whispered in her ear, only for her, always for her.

The world spun away as their bodies found a natural rhythm. Ripples built hotly low in her belly, like a stone had been dropped and the effects of its passage rolled through her body. Her inner walls tightened around his length, making them both groan, her mouth finding his in the dimly light backroom, his tongue mimicking the motion of his hips. With a shudder, the wave she had been riding crested, tossing her beneath it as she breathed out his name again and again, his fingers linking with hers as he rode out her peak with her.

He thrust a few more times erratically as he followed her over the edge with a low shout, muffled as he buried his face in her hair, his free hand cradling her head against him.

Ray rolled them over onto their sides, their bodies rapidly cooling in the air conditioned room and he tiredly tugged a blanket over them. Feeling sated and near boneless, Lily tucked her head beneath his chin, her hands cupped in front of her against his chest. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple.

* * *

Ray's fingers stroked through the strands of her hair and Lily felt her heartbeat beginning to even out. She let out a contented sigh, nuzzling her nose in the crook of his neck.

"I'm surprised nothing started floating during that," she said huskily, breathing out a small chuckle.

He let out a laugh before wiggling his eyebrows at her.

"I guess I had your mind a little too preoccupied to wreak havoc on my merchandise."

"Yeah, I guess you did."

He beamed down at her and she couldn't help but grin back at him; his smiles were always so contagious.

"I suppose that means the end of your dream, huh?"

So the scientist had finally put the puzzle together. She raised her brows at him with a grin.

"If this is what gets your mind stimulated, I suggest we do this frequently. You'll surpass Egon in your brilliance."

He gave her a wounded look.

"Don't I already?"

She kissed his lips, curling her body into his, her fingers idly tracing mindless patterns across his chest.

"In more ways than one, but that's just my humble opinion, of course."

He propped himself up on an elbow, his thumb pressing a soft circle into the flesh of her bare hip.

"I'd say your opinion is a sound and highly important one. Consider, for instance, that I am the heart of the Ghostbusters. You now hold the heart of that heart in the palm of you hand, so it follows that your opinion is, depending on what you plan to do with my heart, potentially the most important one of all," his eyes glittered down at her, his lips curved in a happy smile, "So, Ms. Sawyer, what will you do?"

She tilted her head until their foreheads touched, her grey eyes searching his as she murmured,

"I plan to only have dreams of you, Ray, because dreams are the pathways to the heart...and mine belongs to you. It always has."

The kiss he gave her after that declaration had her toes curling.

While she had no idea what the future was going to bring, whether about her abilities, this relationship, or even for all of the Ghostbusters, she did know that, at that moment, she was the most content she had ever been.


End file.
